Coming Back
by Black Lightning Bulb
Summary: Sasuke is back, and Sakura doesn't know what to do.
1. Finding Out

Someone asked me to try to write a story with more then one chapter, so here it goes! Also I know this isn't really how he comes back, but I can make it so he comes back how ever I want him to come back. So there!

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Chapter One- _Finding Out_

"I will run 500 laps around Kohona to prove my love for you!" A boy with a childish bowl cut proclaimed.

"Lee stop it." A pink haired girl said. "No running laps for me." But it was to late Lee had already given her a wink, and run off.

"Poor Sakura, she has had to deal with stupid men all day since she was 13."

"Very funny Tenten." Sakura said.

Tenten started laughing, "See I'm used to Lee, also he isn't quite as bad as Naruto." Tenten got up from the bench she was sitting on, put one of her hands in a fist, pointed the other one at Sakura and yelled, "I'm gonna be the future Hokage!"

Sakura started laughing at Tenten's impersonation of Naruto. "He isn't that bad Tenten. Really he's gotten better." Just thinking about her favorite blond haired idiot made her smile turn to a frown. Both of them had left her. She stood up, grabbing the bag of groceries she had put down when she had ran into Tenten and Lee. "Sorry Tenten I have to go. My ice cream is going to melt if I don't get it into the freezer soon." She waved and walked off.

They had really left her. Sasuke had left to go become stronger with the help of Ochimaru, and Naruto had left to become stronger with the help of Jiyara. She was left here in Kohana. She hadn't felt this lonely in a long time. Most of her friends where either enjoying their down time with their cell mates, or training with their cell mates, or going on missions with their cell mates. She couldn't do anything with her cell mates, because they were all gone. Even Kakashi seemed to have just disappeared. She saw him occasionally walking around Kohona, but they never talked. Sure she was training with Tsunade to become a medic nin, but still.

She sighed as she unlocked the door to her apartment. She had moved out of her parents house a while ago, saying that she needed to be out on her own. Now she almost wished she hadn't. She missed her mom's cooking, and her dad's stupid joke making at dinner. "I need to do something." Sakura said to herself out loud. "I need to do anything to get my mind off what's been going on lately."

"Is this what you usually do when you walk into your apartment Sakura? Not notice that someone is sitting on your couch, someone who obviously doesn't belong here. What have I been teaching you over the years?" Sakura turned around, already having gotten out a shuriken. She sighed in relief when she saw it was only Kakashi.

"Thank God it's only you Sensei. You scared me." She turned around and started unloading things on to the counter of her small kitchenette. "Do you want something to eat? Drink? Would you like some tea, I could put on some water right now if you want." She opened a cabinet, taking out a kettle not even waiting for Kakashi's answer.

"Sakura."

Sakura blatantly ignored Kakashi and opened more cabinets. "I'm sorry I only have green tea. I could go ask Ms. Takeheshi if she has any iced tea, it's so hot out because of the summer. So hot, I feel so sorry for people out training in the afternoon. Even with the trees for shade that heat outside it must be horrible. Those poor-"

"Sakura." Kakashi said, with a tone could cut steel. Sakura felt a slight pressure and looked up at Kakashi. "Sakura, they found traces him. In the South Eastern region of Grass country."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something then closed it again. Her eyes started watering. She leaned on the counter to support her weight. She was glad Kakashi had taken his hand off her shoulder, because if her hadn't then she might have fallen under the weight. "Who told you?"

"I can't tell you that Sakura. Your not even supposed to know about the traces of him." Kakashi said.

Sakura walked over to her couch and plopped down. She hung her head, and rested it in the palm of her hands. "Is he okay?"

"I don't know." She felt the weight shift next to next to her. "I'm sorry."

She looked up at him, "What are they going to do when they find him?"

He looked Sakura straight in the eye, and replied calmly, "Do you really want me to tell you what they'll do to him?"

Sakura put her head in her hands again, rubbing her temples. "No. I mean yes. I mean no. I mean... I don't know."

"He'll get Ibiki. If you thought that the first part of the exam was torture then what do you think they'll do to a traitor?"

Sakura started sobbing, "Kakashi, you can't let them do that to him. You can't!"

He put an arm around the shoulders of his student. "I can't do anything to stop them." He took his arm off of her and stood up. "Not that I don't want Sasuke back here. He's a threat to Kohana. Maybe you should pray though that either he doesn't get caught, or Ibiki gets to sick to interrogate him." He went to the door and opened it, but stopped half way through. "I'm not just here to teach Sakura, I'll listen." Before she could say anything, the bearer of bad news left.

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Like it so far? I'm so happy, I know where this story is going so it'll be more then one chapter! YAY! 

REVIEW!


	2. Deciding What To Do

I know this isn't really how he comes back, but it's my story and I'll make Sasuke come back however the heck I want him to come back!

Chapter Two

Deciding What To Do

For the next few days Sakura walked around in a daze. She would walk in and out of the Ichiraku Ramen. ("Hey Sakura! Have you heard from my best customer lately!") She completely ignored her friends. ("Sakura! Hey Sakura! Hello, earth to Sakura. FOREHEAD GIRL!") While also ignoring her admirers. ("Sakura, you are so full of youthful beauty! Sakura has ignored me! I must do 10,000 pushups on one arm with one finger so she realizes how much I love her!")

Then five days after Kakashi had told her the news about Sasuke, something happened. She had been walking around town when she saw a group of people gathering towards the gate. She knew that it had to be him. She ran towards the gate only to find, that basically all of Kohona had been thinking the same thing. The she saw above everyone's heads the gates opening.

She jumped to see over the crowd, she even infused charka in to the soles of her feet so she could jump higher, but she couldn't see him. Then the crowd parted, as if to show what they had been hiding to her. "Sasuke." She murmured. He didn't hear her of course. He probably couldn't even see, due to the fact that both of his eyes had swollen to the size of a small mangos. She could already tell that his leg was broken and had been put in to a crappy splint, and that numerous other places on his body where probably broken, sprained, or twisted. His entire body was covered in dirt and a mix of dried blood and mud.

Maybe she had been a little naive when she had thought that Sasuke would come back of his free will. That when he came back he would be clean and smell good. That he would fight tooth and nail to get to her apartment and tell her he loved her, and even after all that fighting he would still be clean and look good. That when he told her he loved her she would slap him, and then she would kiss him. Then she would tell him, "I love you too. Even if you were being stupid when you ran off." Then he would peacefully go off with the many ninjas that had assembled there. Tsunade would then pardon him for his treasonous acts, and they would live happily ever after.

They had already walked past her, and she followed them like the rest of Kohona. Unlike the rest of Kohona she was silent, not shouting insults and whispering about the treasonous acts Sasuke had committed. "So he really is back."

Sakura looked back at the blonde haired girl behind her. "Yes, he is." She looked back to Sasuke. "Ino what am I supposed to do?"

Ino walked up beside her friend as they started walking with the crowd. "Well you are training with Tsunade, I'm sure that she would let you see him."

Sakura shook her head, "I'm not supposed to love him anymore Ino. I'm just not supposed, he's a traitor."

"But you still do."

"I don't know what to do."

"Well you know Tsunade's weakness, just tell her she looks like she's 20 years old." She laughed and continued, "If you don't talk to him, then you'll be confused for the rest of your life. If your confused then you'll end up an old lady with a zillion cats, whose favorite food is broccoli." She looked over at her friend, and smiled. "Is that what you really want?"

She smiled at Ino's blunt way of giving advice. "Of course not."

"All right then it's settled, you will talk to him no matter what. I on the other hand, can't chit chat any longer I promised my parents I would look after the shop." Ino rolled her eyes, and waved walking in to the crowd and disappearing.

She stepped out of the crowd so she wouldn't be trampled by people hurling insults at Sasuke. She wanted to yell at them. She wanted to tell them that they should shut their mouths, because none of them knew how much he wanted to beat his brother. To kill him. Even she didn't know how much he wanted to kill his brother. Maybe that was the problem, that was why she couldn't stop him from leaving. She shook her head quickly to clear it. That was in the past, and the past can't be changed.

"What do I want?" Sakura asked herself, walking in the opposite direction of the where the crowd had gone. She wanted to go home and lie down. She wanted him to have never come back. She wanted him to have never have left. She wanted. Is that all she could do, want things? She had to make them happen for herself, wanting wouldn't do her any good. "If I don't see you by the end of the week Sasuke I'll give up."

Review, please. Thank you to everyone who already did!

**_HAPPY HOLIDAYS!_**


	3. Making a Decision Again

Chapter Three

Making a Decision Again

When Sakura walked into Tsunade's office the next morning she had a plan formulated. "Good morning. Oh, Tsunade-sensei I'm so sorry!" Sakura bowed, and tried to act embarrassed. "I didn't recognize you. I thought you where one of the young secretaries!"

"Sakura don't try flattery." Sakura hadn't actually looked at Tsunade yet, and realized immediately why flattery wouldn't work. Tsunade had bags under her eyes, and her hair was oily. What looked like a few gray hairs where on her desk, and she pulling at another one. Obviously yesterdays events had taken it's tool on her.

She sat down in one of the chairs in front of Tsunade's desk. "Tsunade-sensei I have to see him." She was staring down at her hands which where clenched in her lap. "I have to Tsunade."

"I can't let you do that Sakura."

Sakura jumped out of her chair and yelled, "Tsunade I have to see him!"

"Tell me why, and I'll let you." Tsunade said, wearing an expressionless mask.

Sakura sat down again, looking at her feet. "I can't tell you that." She whispered.

"That's why your not going to see him." Sakura looked up at Tsunade who was staring out the window. She had a faraway look in her eyes. Sakura wanted to ask what she was thinking about, but knew that was over stepping her bounds. "I can't train today." Tsunade said suddenly, turning back to face Sakura. "There is to much going on. Come back tomorrow."

"But ma'am-"

"Sakura he wouldn't be in any shape to talk right now anyway. He can barely remain conscious for that long. Our men gave him quite a beating." Tsunade took a few papers from a pile and started reading them. "So go, come back tomorrow."

Sakura stood up and bowed, "Of course Tsunade-sensei." When she left the office she didn't slam the door like she would have liked to do, but controlled her temper and closed it gently. _He wouldn't be in shape to right now anyway._ What did that mean? Was he okay? Was he able to move?

"He won't talk at all." She heard someone say around the corner. She stopped walking and got close to the wall, going to edge of the corner so she could here better.

"He won't? Has Ibiki been in there yet?" Person number two asked.

"No. Ibiki wants to wait. He knows that Uchina knows that he'll be in there eventually and will use... harsher tactics then the other people he's sent in there. He just won't say anything. He mumbled something once, but the trainee didn't hear it."

"I wish I was in the interrogation unit. Then I would be able to beat up that traitor." Sakura cringed, and walked in the opposite direction. She didn't want to here about people cursing him anymore, or saying how they would like to get they're hands on him. _Ibiki_. She shuddered not wanting to think about what he might do to Sasuke. What would happen when they finally didn't have any reason to keep him around? _They'll kill him, _a voice whispered in her head.

She felt tears flood at the realization of this, and started to run. She ran past other shinobi, knocking some out of the way so she wouldn't have to stay there. She ran out of the main building, and past the gates of the main building. She ran past people in the village, the people who waved, all the places filled with memories of better days. Finally she stopped, panting and out of breathe. She looked around a realized where she was. "Oh God." She was at the bridge. Team 7's meeting spot. Finally she broke down crying.

She shrank down to her knees and leaned against one of the sides of the bridge. She buried her head in to her knees, hoping that no one would walk by. She thought of times they had met here, She would arrive most of the times to find Sasuke already there, Naruto would bound up shouting something that was either insulting or profane, then Kakashi would show up and she would yell at him for being an hour or more late. She missed her boys. She laughed at that, the fact she thought of them as her boys. They where though. Sasuke would always be her first love boy, Naruto would always be her younger brother boy, and Kakshi would always be her older brother boy. It would always be that way. They would always protect her, or she thought they would always be there to protect her.

Now though she had to protect them, or at least one of them. She had to see him, to talk to him and get him to talk. Before Ibiki got to him. She stood up, determination written on her face. She swiped at the remaining tears and said, "Screw by the end of the week Sasuke. No matter what I'm seeing you tomorrow."

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YES CHAPTER THREE! I am so happy, I'm actually working really hard, and am already working on chapter four! Yay! Also two updates in a day, because I had nothing to do today so I wrote both. No I don't really go through a drafting process :sweat drop: (I should but I always get bored in the middle and stop drafting.) Thank you all so much for reviewing. :gives all of you reviewers a big hug and kiss:

Thank you again!


	4. Plans

Chapter Four

Plans

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Sakura barely slept that night. She was up scheming for and planning for if Tsunade didn't let her see Sasuke. She thought of elaborate ways, most of them impossible even for a ninja. One involved her turning invisible and sneaking past the guards, that is after she had knocked them all out so her and Sasuke could be alone. After thinking of insane plans like that she would mostly think about what they would talk about. 

She day dreamed that when she walked in he would be staring out the window. He wouldn't even look at her because he would think she was another person coming to interrogate him. Then she would lean against the wall and cross her arms in a way that made her look like a very calm, cool, super vixen. Then she would say something very calm, cool, and super vixen-ish like; "Hey stranger." He would look over, and when he saw her he would say, in awe, "Sakura." Then they would have a nice conversation.

There was the other scenario though. He would be up and awake. He would see her immediately. He would ask her, "What are you doing here?" She would start crying and talk about how Ino said she would turn into a spinster if she didn't sort through her problems and issues with him. He would look at her with disgust and contentment, call the guards and say, "Get this crazy bitch out of here, I feel that she is a threat to my safety." The guards would have no choice but to drag her sobbing body out of his room. She would then turn into an old spinster if she didn't die on a mission.

When she woke up the next morning determined and scared. She skipped breakfast fearing that anything she ate she would soon puke up whatever she put in her stomach. She put on her regular clothes, deciding against dressing like a vixen. She did put on a little perfume though, she figured she should at least try a little harder then normal.

She walked out trying to act confident and calm. Inner Sakura was trying to calm the outer Sakura down, telling her she would kick but. She was so transfixed on walking and trying not to have a nervous break down that she walked straight past Tsunade's office door. She doubled back, and stopped in front of it. She took a deep breathe, collected her thoughts and walked through the door. "Good morning Sakura." Tsunade said nicely, not looking up from her papers.

"I know why I have to talk to him Tsunade Hokage." Tsunade looked up when Sakura had used Hokage instead of Sensei. Tsunade didn't see the Sakura from yesterday, who had broken down and tried to sweet talk her. She saw a new Sakura, a Sakura with a steely determination that she could already tell would go undeterred.

Tsunade sighed, "Are you sure I can't convince you not to talk to him?" Sakura shook her head, a little shocked that Tsunade hadn't asked her for her reason. "Then you can see him." She took out a piece of paper and wrote something down on it, putting a official seal on it. "Give this to Ibiki, tell him not to hassle you, and to leave you two alone."

Sakura bowed so low her nose nearly touched her knees. "Thank you Tsunade Hokage."

"Promise me Sakura, that if he tells you anything of importance you tell Ibiki."

"Of course."

"Good." Tsunade made a shooing motion with her hand, "Now go before I change my mind." Sakura left immediately, not wanting to lose the opportunity. She also knew too well that if Tsunade had the choice she wouldn't even give her permission at all. So she ran down to the basement floor, skipping steps as she went.

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I know that was short chapter! Bare with me people! (Also I'm uploading chapter five, winter break is such a boring time...) Anyways again thank you for reviewing! 


	5. Plans In Action

Chapter Five

Plans In Action

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Sakura opened the door slowly when she entered the basement. She had never been down to the interrogation rooms because their had never been the need for her to come down to the interrogation rooms. Now that she was here though she found them painstakingly plain. The room big with a few doors leading to what she could only assume where the interrogation rooms themselves. She saw a hallway to the right of the door and wondered if that could lead her to where Sasuke was. "Sakura what are you doing here? Does the Hokage need something?"

She looked over at a ninja who she couldn't remember the name of, but she tried acting polite anyway. "No, I just need to speak to Ibiki."

"Oh, of course." He started walking down the hallway and made a motioning gesture for her to follow. They got to a door at the end and he opened it saying, "Ibiki Haruno Sakura is here."

She couldn't actually see the great Ibiki himself, but she heard him give a weary, "Tell her to come in." The jounin she couldn't remember the name of nodded at her and walked down the hallway again.

"Good morning Ibiki-san." She bowed a little when she walked in. Then she decided not to beat around the bush, because quite frankly Ibiki made her nervous. Then again he was fairly tall, and she had seen all those scars when she had taken her chuunin exam. Those would scare anyone. She passed him the note, and before he could say anything she told him hat Tsunade had said, "Your supposed to turn off the audio in the room. I've already sworn to Tsunade-Hokage that I'll tell you anything that he says if it is of importance."

He looked up from the note, his cold eyes showing signs of wariness. "Sakura he is a dangerous S class criminal."

"I promise if I feel that I am in any danger I'll get out of there."

"Fine." He stood up, grabbing a scroll off his desk. "I need you to give me all of your weapons; scrolls, shuriken, anything." Sakura did this, putting everything on his desk. "Follow me." He walked out of his office and waited for her before closing the door. They walked down the hallway stopping at a door near Ibiki's office. He turned to Sakura and asked, "Are you sure about this?" Sakura nodded. He turned back towards the door and opened the scroll, placing it so the writing was facing towards the door. "_Kaihou._(1)" There was a clicking noise, and Ibiki opened the door. "You have a visitor Uchina. Behave yourself you ungrateful little bastard." Ibiki took a step back from the doorway, letting Sakura in.

"The audio Ibiki-san." She reminded him.

He grunted and yelled down the hall, "Keigo turn off the audio!" He turned back towards Sakura, "Yell out when your done, we need to put the sealing back on immediatly." Then he left closing the door after him.

Sakura hadn't even been able to look in the room yet. It was fairly big, with a meager cot in one corner, a pot in another (she didn't want to think about what was in it), and a table with two chairs in the middle. No windows, one door which she had to yell for someone to come get her. At least she knew she could used the chairs if the situation turned sour. Then she saw a figure hunched on the floor, barely noticeable from where she stood. "If you want information just go away. I have nothing to tell you." Well at least she was partially right about one thing, he hadn't realized it was her.

On the rest of her fantasy though she had it all wrong, "Sasuke..." She drawled it out, almost wistfully. She saw his muscles in his back tighten, but he didn't say anything. "Sauke. It's me. Sakura. I... I don't know what I want to say anymore." She chuckled a little, leaning against the door. "I guess things haven't changed that much, you still leave me a little speechless."

Sasuke stood, still not facing her. He had grown taller, his shoulders had grown broader, but she had seen that when she had fought him. When they had failed to bring him back. Again. "What are you doing here?"

Sakura wanted to cry. She wanted to break, to cry, to sob, to hit him, to kiss him, to yell at him, to just sit there and look at him. "I came here because I had to see you."

He turned towards her, and she didn't gasp like she would have years before. His eyes weren't as swollen now, they were just very purple. His leg was now in a cast, his left hand was bandaged, some other places where probably bandaged under his shirt. He looked almost like his whole body had been tie dyed blue, purple, green, and yellow. He didn't say anything, he just sat down in one of the chairs at the table. They stayed like that for what seemed like ages, her up against the door and him sitting down at the table. Finally she sat down in a chair across from him. "Why?" He asked, his voice held no emotion, it was just a question that needed answering.

"Sauke, when you left. That night when you left... I broke. I told you I loved you, I bribed you, I said I would come with you. When you... When you knocked me out... When I woke up I was broken. Naruto found me there, he promised to bring you back for me." She paused remembering the blonde being so serious, the only time she had really seen him that serious. She remember that his eyes had looked different, like someone had turned the light off. "Then when they came back I cried. Not only had they been beaten, they didn't have you. Then Naruto left. I had lost all of you. I lost Kakashi, I lost Naruto, I lost you." She hadn't been at him since she had started talking. She bravely looked up now. Looked in to those cold Uchina eyes that she had missed so much. So much. "I felt so ashamed of myself, because not only had all of you left me, but I never left you. I never wanted to let go of you. Of all those memories, even if most of them resulted in you calling me a annoying. I still loved you. I still love you."

She waited for him to say something, but he just stared at her. So se continued, "I trained, long and hard. I'm still training with Tsunade to become a medic nin. I wanted to be strong when you came back. I wanted to be strong for if you didn't come back. I wanted to be strong if you came back dead. I needed to be strong for myself if you came back dead, because I loved you." She choked back a sob, remembering nights she had worried, cried herself to sleep. Those days, those weeks, those months that she had walked, trained, fought asleep. She didn't have memories because of it. She wanted to know if it had been worth it. "Did you ever think of me, of Naruto, of Kakashi, of all the ninja, of all the people in Kohona while you where gone Sasuke?" When he didn't respond she jumped up, knocking the table back. She screamed tears flying down her face, "DID YOU SASUKE?"

He just sat there, staring at her. His eyes were still black, still bottomless, still made her heart beat faster. She had her answer of course. How could she have been so stupid. She righted the chair, wiped away the tears and yelled, "Ibiki! I want out!" She heard him walking down the hallway, and walked towards the door.

"Every day."

She looked back at him. He was staring at where she had stood, she could see that his gaze could still burn holes through the wall. That even if it wasn't directed at her it still sent chills up her spine. She wanted to know what he meant. She wanted to talk to him more, but knew that her emotional energy was spent for the day. "Sakura." That was all Ibiki needed to say. She walked towards the door, then she stopped turning around to face him again.

"I'll be back tomorrow." Then she walked out the door.

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That was so much fun to write! I love drama! Drama! Drama! Drama! YAY! Okay yeah, I'm not sure what chapter six is about yet, because I'm in a creative slump? (Maybe I'm not sure, I'm feeling that if I wrote chapter six right now, like I normally do after uploading a chapter, it won't be any good. :sweatdrop:) Anyways reviews usually make me feel creative :wink, wink:

(1)Kaihou- mean open in Japanese. There were a few other ways listed, but I choose that one because it was the first one I saw and I was on a time crunch.


	6. Second Visit

WAH! I just realized I didn't put a disclaimer in the first chapter... woops.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto (I didn't own Naruto when I wrote the first five chapters either!)

Chapter 6

Second Visit

First she went to see Tsunade to make sure it was okay. ("Go ahead. Show this to Ibiki. Consider it a free pass for a week.") Then she went downstairs, where the ninja whose name she couldn't remember greeted her. ("Back here again? Lucky guy that one is. What? My name? It's Keigo.) Who saw her back to see Ibiki. ("He isn't in a petting zoo, he's in prison. I'll have to talk to Tsunade.") He opened the door for her again.

"I'm back." She walked in slowly. She didn't know what to expect from him. He had been a confusing puzzle before he had left, when he had left, and after he had left. When he came back and had answered her question by saying; "Everyday" he had become even more confusing. He had gone from being a hard to solve puzzle to a 3-D puzzle, or a already very hard puzzle that didn't give you the picture of it fully solved.

He wasn't sitting on the floor this time. He was sitting exactly were he had been yesterday. She wanted to ask if her had moved at all since then, but decided against it. "Did you mean what you said yesterday?"

He smirked, "What no; "Hi how's you stay" that's a little rude."

She smiled grimly. "Things have changed, couple of years ago that would have been the first thing out of my mouth. Did you mean it or not?"

"Every word."

She snorted, "Of the two you actually spoke." She tapped her fingers on the table absent mindedly, while staring at him. Shamelessly. Her heart still raced when she saw him, but at least her cheeks didn't flare. Thank God for small miracles. "Why did you leave?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" He snapped.

"Why does it bother you so much? Does it feel to much like old times? Me asking questions, annoying you. You being the cold and smirking. Except of course there is no annoying blonde protagonist. He left so he could train to beat you." She stopped, turning her head so she wasn't looking directly at him. Right then she hated him. Even if it was partially because of her, because of that promise he had made her.

"Do you love him?" She turned back towards him, her mouth slightly agape. "You say all those words with such conviction."

"I don't love him like that. I love him like a younger brother, or an annoying puppy whose been in the family since you were little." She felt some tears slide down her cheeks, and wiped them a way hastily. She had been crying a lot that week. She didn't like it. Crying in front of him wasn't acceptable.

"Do you hate me?" She didn't answer, she just sat there wiping at her tears. "Just a minute ago you looked at me like you hated me."

"I don't hate you." Sakura sighed. "I hate what you did. There is a difference."

"He's been taking care of you right?" Sasuke asked, then amended, "I mean when he's here."

"Yes." Sakura said, sniffling a little. "I can take care of myself." She looked at her watch, grimacing. "Shit, I promised I would help Ino with her parent's shop." She stood up, happy that she had some way of getting out of there visit. A legitimate way. "Bye. I'll bring food next time. I promise." She said hurriedly, then left.


	7. Lunch Date

Chapter Six

Lunch Date

Sakura walked down the hallway to Ibiki's office after a brief conversation with Keigo. ("Go ahead, get Ibiki to open the door up for you.") She walked back swinging her bags like a little kid. She knocked on his door and she heard a very grumpy, "Come in."

"Hello Ibiki-san. I was wondering if it was okay if I brought lunch over for Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

Ibiki was shuffling through papers, he didn't even respond before saying, "No."

Sakura frowned, sitting down in one of the chairs in font of Ibiki's desk. "But sir, you know how horrible that cafeteria food is." Sakura pleaded.

"He's lucky he gets food." Ibiki growled.

"Fine sir I can see I'm getting no where." Sakura smirked thinking, _Time_ _for_ _plan_ _B_. "Looks like I'm going to have to take these beef dumplings and vegetable sushi that I worked so hard on back home. I'll never be able to eat it either, so I guess I'll just throw it away."

Ibiki groaned, "You said beef dumplings?"

"Why yes I did." Sakura said pleasently. _Game, set, and match._

Ibiki sighed, "Just take out all silver wear or plastic wear." Sakura raised an eye brow to that statement. "In the hands of a skilled shinobi, anything can be a weapon."

"Okay then." Sakura said.

"Tell Keigo to open the door up for you." He said.

It took all of Sakura's will power not to run out of the room. "Keigo." She called, "Can you open the door please?"

"Course I can." He said. He eyed the bags, and licked his lips. "One of those for me?"

Sakura smiled, "Course there is." She handed him a bag, as walking towards the door of Sasuke's prison. Keigo did what Ibiki had done the day before, opening the door for her. "Thank you very much Keigo." He smiled warmly and closed the door behind her. She looked in on the room, trying to ignore the smell. Sasuke was sitting where she had left him the day before. Had he moved at all? "_Tame hirusugi(1)_ Sasuke." She said placing the bgs on the table.

"Whats in the bag?" He asked.

Sakura smiled, "Lunch." She took out the bento box she had made for him.

He opened it, raising an eye brow. "You made this?"

"Yes." Sakura raised her eyebrows. "So what if I made it? I'm a good cook." She said defending her work.

"I never said you weren't" Sasuke said, while looking in the bag. "Where are the utensils?"

Sakura brought her voice down saying, "In the hands of a shinobi anything can become a weapon." Sasuke smirked at her impersonation of Ibiki. "I guess its a compliment really, that he would think so highly of your skill."

Sasuke kept his smirk on, and Sakura laughed awkwardly because they both knew that Ibiki was right. "It looks edible." Sasuke said, trying to lighten the mood.

"It is edible." Sakura cut in.

She watched him pop a piece of sushi into his mouth. She waited for his reaction, again waiting for his approval. "Its good."

Sakura smiled, opening her own box. "And you doubted me, for shame." They sat eating quietly, an awkward silence closing around them. "What you said yesterday, did you mean it?"

"Every word." Sauke said, closing his box and sliding it to the senter of the table.

Sakura snorted, "Of the five or six words that you said." She blushed at her brash words. "I'm sorry that was rude."

"That was a true statement though." Sasuke folded his arms over his chest. "Question for a question, an answer for answer. How about it?"

Sakura nodded, "Deal. I go first. What did you mean when you said that yesterday?"

"I meant I thought of all of you everyday." Sasuke said, as if this should have been obvious. "Do you love Naruto?"

"What!" Sakura exclaimed. "Yes."

Sasuke frowned, but it wasquickly wiped from his face. "I never took you for a lier Sakura."

"I love him like a brother." Sakura said, smiling sadly thinking of her blonde idiot. "He was really there for me when you left, he helped me a lot." She paused hearing a knock at the door.

"Hey Sakura, Ibiki says you have to come out now." Keigo called from out side.

Sakura smiled sadly at Sasuke. "Same time?"

Sasuke smirked, "I don't know the time in here anymore." Sakura smiled half heartedly, waving before turning around and walking out the door.

For those of you unsatisfied with the sorta kinda lack of drama, there will be drama, do not worry. And really sry for not updating, my bad. Also on the last chapter I was being lazy. I have a right to be lazy.

(By the way I don't actually know Japanese, so for those of you who actually do and are like wtf on the Japanese just tell me so! I want to correct my mistakes!)

(1) _Tame hirusugi_- Good afternoon


	8. Interlude

And she's back with a vengeance, it was my New Years Resolution to finish this, and I will follow through! HAHAHA!

* * *

Interlude

It was when she left he felt sadness again. He been trained to feel only two things by Ochimaru; hatred and anger. The two were different, even though always put together. Hatred was to feel deep loathing for something, while anger was similar to rage. The only thing the two had in common were that they had the ability to destroy you, and having those feelings without controlling them was like an alcoholic who didn't admit to having an addiction.

Though in the end he was the one with the addiction. He was addicted to pink hair and cherry blossoms. The laughter that unlike so many other girls, that sounded like tinkling bells. Her laughter was lower, bitter, brought on from years of loneliness. It showed growth.

He was addicted to Sakura, and he didn't care who knew.

* * *

I know short, but it's a interlude, so it doesn't matter. 


	9. Hurry

Hurry

The next day she went back Ibiki talked to her before letting her in. "We need information Sakura." He said in a hushed tone. She gave him a blank look, and he explained. "If he doesn't talk in the next seven days I won't be able to protect him any longer. The citizens want action, and unless we can give them some positive information, we'll have no choice but to make him a," he stopped considering his next words briefly. "A public example."

She nodded gravely, deciding not to think about it. Twice he had asked her if she loved someone else, but at the moment she wasn't sure who she loved. She wasn't sure if she actually cared if he was going to be made into a public example or not. She was to tired to care. Her emotions were gone, now all that was left was tiredness. A deep seeping tiredness that she felt in her skin, her heart, every cell and atom that composed her body. The whole world seemed to sag with the same tiredness as her. "I understand."

Ibiki nodded, walking to the door and opening it. "Six days after today Sakura, remember that." He told her before shutting her in.

"What is he talking about?" Sasuke asked, being uncharacteristically nosy.

Sakura sat down, feeling the sturdy weight of the chair as a relief. Something to anchor her to the harsh reality of the world. "If you don't give them information within the next few days they'll make you a public example."

He looked towards the wall, closing his eyes momentarily. "I can not tell."

Sakura decided that she was too tired for this melodramatic shit. "Okay then." She replied, standing up, the chair scraping the concrete floor.

"What are you doing?" He asked worriedly, his eyes moving rapidly from the door to her nervously. Shifty eyes, characteristic of a thief. What have you stolen Sasuke? She asked her self before banging on the door.

"Home Sasuke. I'm going home."

* * *

The following chaps. will prob. Be short, b/c I know were I'm going with this, and this one needed to be short to make a point. 


	10. Skip A Day Or Two

Skip A Day Or Two

She avoided him like the plague, not going to see him for the next two days. She buried herself in work and training, learning how to complete three different techniques within day one of her avoidance before Tsunade got mad at her for "Not going to visit him and walking down the road to becoming and old biddy." She refused to train with Sakura until she actually dealt with her problems, because right now she was just being a "baby."

The next day she went to Ino's flower shop at the crack of dawn to take inventory. She counted and recorded until her fingers turned black with ink stains. By that time it was close to midday, and Ino had just gotten there to officially open the shop. She didn't bother asking what her friend was in the shop; she just went to cash register and took out some money, telling her to go get some food.

She walked to the ramen stand, seeing Naruto boasting loudly after one of there training sessions after Sasuke's departure. "I will not only become next Hokage, but I will get back our lost comarade!" He had yelled loudly before polishing off two bowls of ramen.

It was then that she realized that she loved him, but she also loved her lone ranger as well

* * *

I told you it was going to end up this way. 


	11. Be Gone

Be Gone

She went back on the third day to a silent Ibiki. He let her in and walked off. "Where have you been?" Sasuke asked, so close to her, she could reach out and not even have to extend her arm fully to touch him.

"Busy." She said indifferently, waiting for him to make the next move.

He stared at her, something in his eyes not quite as cold and unfeeling as before. A fire beneath the ice. It sent a chill through her bones, melting away the tiredness that had ached there days before. He took her hand, leading her to his bed, making her sit gently. He stood straight not saying anything before collapsing in a heap at her feat. A mumbled something unintelligible over his heaving sobs. She took him in her arms, laying his head in her lap as she had done with Tenten when she had thought Neji was dead. She stroked his hair, noticing how greasy it was, he needed to shower.

He sobbed, still mumbling, no tears coming out of his eyes. "Do you understand?" She was able to catch when he was taking a calming breath only to being sobbing again.

"You're being executed." Sakura said quietly. She could feel him nod, and she gripped his shoulder tightly. "You won't tell them even to save your own life." She gently placed his head down on the mattress, standing up. "Sasuke, I'm not sure what to call this; noble or pathetic."

"Neither." He replied, finally having calmed down enough to be understood. "It is cowardice. If I tell, he'll get me." He sat up, quickly getting to his feet and closing the gap between them, grasping her shoulders tightly. "Do you understand? He'll come and get me and he'll hit below the belt. He'll kill Kakashi, Tsunade, Naruto, and you. If I die, I die to protect myself from the pain." He was shaking her lightly with each word, trying to bring her back to him.

She looked at the wall behind him, trying to ignore the pained look on his face. "Ibiki broke you. What did he do Sasuke?"

Sasuke stopped shaking her, looking down at the ground in shame. "He brought you. It was the only reason Tsunade agreed to let you in here, it was a technique." He let go of her shoulders, looking at his hands in disgust. "But it didn't work Sakura. It worked in the opposite way. Now I won't talk. I'll never talk."

They stood in silence for a lone time before she broke it with the question that needed to be asked. "When?"

"Tomorrow at sundown."

She closed the gap this time, bringing his head up a little. "Then lets make our last memories together good." She kissed him.


	12. Pity Fuck

It was exactly three hours, forty six minutes, and twelve seconds until she realized her first time sleeping with someone had been out of pity. She had given someone a pity fuck. She hadn't slept with him because she loved him, because after he broke down sobbing in her lap she had stopped liking him. She had stopped liking him because by not saving himself he was being an idiot. Beyond an idiot. Sasuke had created a whole new meaning for the word idiot. It was above and beyond idiotic. Before she had come to this shocking realization three hours, forty six minutes, and twelve seconds later she decided to have a talk with her mentor.

"So I was a ploy?" She had asked, her arms folded in front of her chest in a way that she hoped displayed something close to anger. She thinks that he anger she feels could destroy a small country if she channeled it properly.

Tsunade looked up from her documents, did she always have documents every time Sakura walked in here it seemed she had more documents piled on her desk. "Yes. You were a carefully planned ploy. We completely expected you to break him into tiny pieces or for him to throw you mangled body out of his cell." She sighed, "It was Ibiki's idea. He expected it to work, but it didn't. Now the people are asking for action."

"No need to explain." Sakura replied, already starting to walk out. "I just needed to know."

She had this talk with Tsunade thirty two minutes after the aforementioned pity fuck. It didn't even get the title of pity sex, it was a pity fuck. Crude, animal, primal, and she had kept her eyes closed and pretended not to be there. Clouds, puppy dogs, and fake moans of encouragement. Very fake moans. The fake moans that you do for truth or dare. She sighed after finally realizing this she had gone home. Well, first she had walked to were home used to be; her parents house, then she realized that this was not home and had continued walking.

She was five steps away from her door when she felt it; an energy coming from inside her apartment. "Kakashi you jackass," she started as she opened the door. "I am in no mood for your bull sh-" She stopped looking at the person standing in front of her.

"Hey Sakura."

* * *

Who is the mystery person? What will Sakura do about Sasuke? Why do I have to ask so many questions? 


	13. Twirl

I'm sorry, I've been so busy! Mock UN, Bar Mitvahs, Birthdays, term papers. Ugh. Also a very critical condition of writer's block. If you haven't figured out who is in the door way by now you're just stupid.

* * *

She stayed where she was a few minutes longer before she walked up to him reaching out a hand to make sure he was real. The skin was rough, weathered, and tanner then it had been before. She could feel the lines smiles and tear trails on that cheek, a testimony to his hard journey. After she had felt that she looked up to see her arm was extended upward. He was almost as tall as Pity Fuck man, maybe even taller. His hair didn't look greasy, it gleamed. She reached out and touched, running her hand through it, ending up back at his cheek.

"Sakura, I'm real." He said, his voice was deeper, and she barely caught what he said.

"You're real." She murmured, her cheeks starting to turn upwards. "You're real." She removed her hand from his cheek. "You're real!" She exclaimed, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck. He started laughing, twirling her around her apartment. She was laughing and crying at the same time, all the while shouting how he was real. He stopped, and looked her in the eyes. She smiled crushing her lips to his.

"Oh God, I've missed you." He breathed out after the kiss was broken. He kept his eyes closed, leaning his forehead against her's. "Sakura you have no idea how much I've missed you. Especially you're big forehead, I now know why it is of such great size. It is meant for a cushion." She slapped him on the back playfully, all the while kissing his eye lids and forehead and cheeks. "If I had known I was going to come back to this I would have come back sooner." He chuckled, setting her on the floor.

She smiled up at him, grabbing his hand as she went to close the door. She was afraid that if she let go he would disappear again. Then she remembered his promise. 'I'll get him back, not matter what.' Her heart fell. "Did you come back for me, or because you heard Sasuke was imprisoned already." She could feel his hand tense up in her's answering her question. "I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, turning towards him quickly and staring him straight in the eye. "I never should have had to ask."

He smiled weakly, squeezing her hand. "'It's fine." He led her to the couch, not protesting when she lay her head in his lap, as if they had done this thousands of times. "When did he come back?"

"A few weeks ago." She said replied, stroking the arm that was placed around her middle. "He asked about you. I told him you had left a few weeks after he had."

"You were allowed to visit him?" He asked, obviously surprised. "Tsunade should have known better! He is a criminal, and while he was our friend, we don't know what Ochimaru did to him! If anything happened to you I swear I will kill her."

Sakura sighed, sitting up and facing him Indian style. "I was a ploy to get him to talk. It didn't work. Now he's clammed up, he won't tell them anything because he's afraid someone will get hurt." She looked him in the eyes finally. "The public has demanded action. He's going to be executed tomorrow at sundown."

He closed his eyes, sighing deeply. He had changed so much. "Did anything happen between you two?"

She was surprised that was his first question on the matter, but answered anyway, tears brimming at her eyes. "I had sex with him out of pity. Naruto I had pity sex with him!" She started crying, becoming a blubbering mess. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were so disgusted with me you never wanted to see me again."

"Never Sakura." He said, bringing her closer to him. "Never."

"Naruto."

* * *

Oh the mush, oh the sap, of the happiness. I didn't want him not to know. Don't ask me why. It just seemed wrong. Also I'm going to try to be more frequent about my postings. I feel bad. 


	14. Yowl

She fell asleep with her feet propped on the coffee table, and her torso in her lap, with him slumped over her. It was an odd way to wake up because her back hit his chin, causing him to yowl, yes yowl, in pain. They then giggled as he kissed her nose, both forgetting temporarily that someone was being executed today who they had grown up with, who he had been fierce rivalry and friendship, who she had been in love with and slept with. When they both remembered she started crying and he started jiggling his leg in nervous apprehension.

"There had to be something we can do!" He finally exclaimed, jumping off the couch, the energy inside him finally releasing. He started pacing, unknowingly making seals as he went. They didn't mean anything, Sakura finally realized, watching his hands move. It must be what he does now when he's thinking, she thought. "It was funny to her that he was actually thinking things through. She should probably be thinking too. What would she do if she was pregnant? It would be pretty obvious that it wasn't Naruto's if it took on Sasuke's traits. What if she wasn't pregnant? What would she do if someone came to the village to get Sasuke back and brought on a full scale attack? What would she do then?

"Naruto, I think I'm going to puke." She murmured, putting her head between her knees. He looked over at her, worry on his face. "It's too much. What if I'm pregnant? What if they come to rescue him?" She paused, letting out in a ferocious yell, "What the hell do I do!"

He moved down on his knees in front of her, putting his hands on her knees and rubbing them. "We'll deal with it. Whatever comes we'll deal with it, and whatever it is I'll protect you and be there for you."

"Good."

* * *

For those of you who have been all 'Wah, Naruto and Sakura, but it was supposed to be Sasuke and Sakura!' stop whining okay. If you want to write your own story where they end up together, good for you, but I didn't feel like it. Stop your whining because I really don't feel like going out to buy Gouda. Next chapter will be much longer because someone dies. Yes, note the someone. I never said it was Sasuke so just shut it.


	15. Postmortem

I decided I had to add another chapter. Okay. I think this could be the last one. Don't cry.

* * *

They showed up at sunset. After a day of toiling and trying and hurting and fucking bleeding for a cause it had been for naught. _The people want his blood_, Tsunade had said with a sigh. _They will tear this city apart until they get what they want_. Sakura had noted with grim satisfaction that coils of silvery white hair were lying on the desk, haphazardly covered by documents of importance. It felt good to see that, even if it wasn't true, that the bitch, that's the part that has yet to bee deemed true, was losing herself to this. _You could handle yourself but you're not going in there, _Ibiki had said, arms crossed. _You're going to try something if I let you in, don't try to deny it._

So they showed up at sunset. Sakura had used the last of her cold cream, knowing full well that more would have to be used tonight. Naruto had a hand forever resting lightly on her arm, a steady comfort for both of them. There were no words; there was nothing that could be said to alleviate the stress, the anger. The ever growing sadness.

"_MENDOU_!"

Everyone turned towards the voice, looking to see Ibiki standing on the platform that had been resurrected just for the occasion. "We now bring forth Uchiha Sasuke for crimes against the state, punishable by death," Sasuke was half dragged half carried to the front of the platform by two ANBU. They let him go, his eyes bound by seals.

"_Kokuzoku!_" Someone yelled and all of the sudden there was trash hanging from his frame and around him on the stage. One of the ANBU's who had escorted him on stage leaped down, starting to make there way through the crowd towards the person. The damage had been done though. Naruto squeezed her arm as much for his benefit as for her own.

"It'll be over soon." She whispered, taking the hand from her arm and squeezing it in her own.

And with those words time sped up and things were asked and she would never recapture those moments before, but during would be put on pause. The type of pause that would have allowed only two people to move, everyone else frozen. Herself and the executioner.

Yet she didn't move.

She didn't close her eyes, and she didn't tighten her grip, and she didn't faint.

She watched as a blade that must have been sharpened thousands of times for thousands of minutes just today swung down swiftly. Uchiha Sasuke did not make eye contact with her in those last brief moments, because he didn't look up. His head was facing the platform and later on the executioner would contest that he swears the head of the Uchiha lips had moved after it was severed, that he swears he had tried to say something. People will laugh, because the people he is trying to explain this to are drunk, and so is he. But Sakura swears he is right. Because when the blade swung down and the blood started to spurt and the head fell down she kept on watching.

Naruto pulled her from her unflinching gaze. He crumbled, falling down on the ground with a sob, pulling her down with him. She felt hot tears on her shoulder and looked around seeing others cheering. She pulled him up, not needing to say anything. With a steadfast determination she made her way through the crowd towards a side street that was the fastest way home, and away from the supposedly talking head.

* * *

Yes... he is dead. Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead. it was either that or rescued but I felt like killing someone tonight. 


End file.
